Tottenham target Nicolas Raskin has already destroyed Rodrigo Bentancur in key metric
Tottenham have made an impressive start to life under Thomas Frank, but the Dane is already looking ahead to the January transfer window.
On Thursday, October 16, it emerged that Tottenham have shown an interest in Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin.
The Belgian international has made five appearances in the Scottish Premiership this term after falling out with former manager Russell Martin.
Raskin, who has regularly been linked with a Premier League move, sees his contract expire in 2027 and is likely to leave Ibrox sooner rather than later.
Interestingly, when dissecting the statistics, the 24-year-old is already outperforming Rodrigo Bentancur for arguably his strongest attribute.
Nicolas Raskin destroys Rodrigo Bentancur for tackling
Tottenham have built a reputation for signing some of the best Belgian talent on the market, particularly in the 2010s, where they homed the likes of Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Moussa Dembele.
Raskin could become the latest Belgian gem to flourish in the Premier League, with the statistics painting a perfect picture of what he would bring to North London.
As highlighted by FBref, the Rangers midfielder ranks in the top 2% of midfielders across Europe for tackles per 90 across the past year and the top 14% for interceptions.
The former Standard Liege midfielder also outperforms Bentancur for several off-the-ball metrics, and he’s the one Raskin would likely rival for a spot in the engine room.
| Stats per 90 past year | Nicolas Raskin | Rodrigo Bentancur |
| Tackles | 3.73 | 2.45 |
| Blocks | 1.86 | 1.61 |
| Tackles (mid third) | 2.11 | 1.13 |
| Shots blocked | 0.65 | 0.58 |
| Ball recoveries | 7.38 | 7.32 |
| Aerials won | 53.1% | 57% |
Considering the Uruguayan is one of the Premier League’s best ball-winners, Spurs fans will be encouraged to see that Raskin has averaged more tackles and ball recoveries in the past year.
Bentancur recently signed a new contract at Tottenham and has appeared in all but one of their matches this term, with Frank utilising the likes of Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Joao Palhinha alongside him.
Raskin is also strong going forward
Raskin’s ability to win the ball back is second to none, but he’s also proficient as an attacking outlet, with the Belgian grabbing 16 goal involvements from midfield in 2024/25.
The all-action midfielder also ranks in the top 23% for successful take-ons, showcasing his confidence in possession, while placing in the top 17% for assists.
It demonstrates that Raskin would offer Frank some versatility in central areas, as he could operate in a deeper number six role, or as a number 10.
The only question mark hanging over him is whether he can translate his performances in the Scottish Premiership across to the Premier League, as it’s a totally different ball game.
That being said, the early signs suggest that Spurs could sign a gem in Raskin, should they choose to accelerate their interest.